Bucket construction for tractor loaders



Dec. 26, 1961 K. w. KAMPERT ETAL 3,014,606

BUCKET CONSTRUCTION FOR TRACTOR LOADERS Filed Nov. 4, 1960 IN VEN TORS.

57525 7/ mun m ited rates 3,014,666 BUCKET CGNSTRUCTION FUR TRACTORLEADERS Keith W. Kampert, Libertyville, and Richard F. Zimmerman,Waukegan, 111., assignors to The Frank G. Hongh Co., a corporation ofIllinois Filed Nov. 4-, 1960, Ser. No. 67,334

6 Claims. (611. 214-145) This invention relates generally to bucketconstructions for tractor loaders, and more specifically to an improvedload striker and carrying arrangement for the bucket of a front-end-typetractor loader, which arrangement is uniquely adapted for the handlingof free-flowing granulated material.

In the handling of free-flowing granulated material with front-end-typetractor loaders such as are known in the art, a serious problem isencountered in spillage of the granulated material from the bucket. Thisspillage occurs in a number of ways; firstly, because of the relativeease with which the bucket may be heaped with the material from a pile,the initial, somewhat cone-shaped, heaped load on the bucket is reducedby spillage as the bucket and machine are withdrawn from the pile,Further, in the carrying position of the bucket, the bucket is usuallytipped rearwardly through an angle of approximately 40, and in thisposition the forward edge of the cutting edge is generally considerablybelow the upper edges of the side walls and back wall of the bucket sothat in the transport of the load to a remote location, additionalspillage occurs until under some conditions only about one-half of thematerial originally dug is retained within the confines of the bucket.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a bucketarrangement for a tractor loader, such as disclosed in US. Patent No.2,822,098, issued February 4, 1958, to R. L. Beyerstedt, which willgreatly aid in digging and carrying a'free-flowing granulated type ofmaterial with a minimum of spillage.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a loadstriker and load maintainer arrangement for the bucket of afront-end-type tractor loader, wherein the striker bar is operated by ahydraulic ram carried on the rearward side of the bucket.

It is a feature of the present invention that operating means for a loadstriker and maintainer arrangement is provided wherein the hydraulic ramfor operating the arrangement is relatively protected from damage in thenormal operation of the loader.

Other objects and features of the present invention will be apparentupona perusal of the following specification and drawing of which:

FIGURE 1 is a partial rear perspective view of a bucket constructedaccording to the present invention with the bucket positioned in a highlift position;

FIGURE 2 is a partial front perspective view of the bucket constructionof FIGURE 1 with the striker'bar in one operated position; and

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but with the striker bar operatedto another position.

The present embodiment is the preferred embodiment, but it is to beunderstood that changes can be made in the present embodiment by oneskilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of thepresent invention.

For a general description of the present invention, reference is made'to the drawing and the aforementioned patent. The bucket is constructedto have a pair of side walls spaced apart by a curved bottom and rearwall. The forward marginal edge of the bottom wall is provided with acutting edge. The bucket is pivotally mounted on a boom, and a linkagearrangement is provided for pivoting the bucket relative to the boom.Means are also provided for raising and lowering the boom. In thedigging position, the bucket is lowered to ground level, and the linkagemeans is operated to position the bottom wall of the bucket in asubstantially horizontal plane. This position is a lowered position fromthat shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. The forward marginal edges of the sidewalls of the bucket are curved as a portion of a circle with its originpoint located near the lower rear portion of the bucket. The back wallof the bucket is disposed substantially vertically in the load carryingposition of FIGURES 2 and 3. A somewhat U-shaped load striker and loadretainer or maintainer blade or element is pivotally mounted, at theends thereof on the lower rear side walls of the bucket. The crossmemberof the U-shaped blade or striker element will, in pivoting from theposition shown in FIGURE 2 to that shown in FIGURE 3, strike ofi theheaped load along a curved plane disposed a short distance inwardly ofthe marginal edges of the side walls of the bucket. The crossmemberwhich itself is somewhat V-shaped in cross section has a lower forwardportion which acts as the striker blade, and the striker blade with theremainder of the striker element further acts as load retaining ormaintaining walls when the machine is operated in traveling to a remotelocation for dumping. Thus, when the bucket is in the carrying position,the striker and load retainer element substantially increases thecarrying capacity of the bucket. During travel, the free-flowingmaterial will fiow approximately from the curved plane formed by thestriker bar to a somewhat flat plane or water level conf guration. Thelower end legs of the U-shaped load striker element are formed somewhatas bellcranks and the outer ends of the bellcranks are pivotallyconnected to links which are angled from the side walls along the rearside of the bucket toward the center thereof. The links in turn arepivotally connected to bellcranks which are pivotally carried on therear side of the bucket, and the other ends of each of those bellcranksare pivotally connected at the opposite ends of a hydraulic cylinder.The hydraulic cylinder is disposed somewhat parallel to and spaced ashort distance away from the rear surface of the bucket. When thehydraulic ram cylinder is completely retracted, the striker element ispositioned adjacent the rear wall of the bucket, such as shown in FIG-URES l and 2. When the ram is completely extended, the striker elementis moved across the open side of the bucket to engage the cutting edgeof the bucket. The crossmember of the striker element must have a sizecorrelated to the dimensions of the bucket walls so that the volume ofmaterial in the struck configuration approximately equals the volumedefined by the bucket, the striker element, and a horizontal planethrough the upper surface of the crossrnember of the striker element,when the bucket has been tilted rearwardly to the break out or carryingposition such as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. In FIGURE 1, the boom of theloader is shown in the raised or high lift position to aid in showingthe important elements of the subject invention carried on the rearwardside of the bucket.

For a detailed description of the present invention, continued referenceis made to the drawing and the noted patent. A four-wheel rubber-tiredtractor having wheels lit-is provided with a boom 12, one end of whichis carried on the tractor and the other end of which is disposedforwardly thereof. Some means, such as the rams 25 of the noted patent,are provided for raising and lowering of the forward end of the boom 12.A link 13 is also provided and is formed in duplicate portions, one oneach side of the tractor, as is the boom 12.

The link'13 is operatively carried at one end thereof on the tractor andthe other end thereof is positioned forwardly of the tractor. The bucketcomprises a pair of spaced-apart side walls and a curved plate 16 whichdefines the bottom and rear wall of the bucket. The forward marginaledge of the bottom wall portion of the plate 16 is provided with acutting edge 17. A pair of flanges 18 are secured to the rear side ofthe bucket in a spaced-apart relationship to each other transversely ofthe bucket for mounting of the bucket on the boom and for connecting ofthe bucket to the links 13. Pins 20 mounted through the flanges 18 andthe end of the boom 12 pivotally carry the bucket on the forward end ofthe boom 12. The forward marginal edges of the side walls 15 are curved,and that curvature is traced by a portion of a circle having its centerat the axis of the pins 27 which are secured to the side walls 15 of thebucket in the lower rearward portion thereof and extend outwardlytherefrom. The links 13 are pivotally connected at their forward ends tothe flanges 18 by pins 21. Pins 21 are disposed substantially verticallyabove the pins 20 when the bucket is in the ground-level diggingposition. With the above-described arrangement, the links 13 may bemoved to pivot the bucket rearwardly toward the tractor about the axisof pins 20 through an angle of approximately 40, which position is shownin FIGURES 2 and 3. Theangle between the bottom wall and rear wall ofthe bucket is approximately 40 so that when the bucket is tilted fromthe ground level digging position to the breakout or carrying positionas shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the rear wall of the bucket issubstantially vertically positioned, the open side of the bucket isdisposed upwardly, and the marginal edge of the cutting edge 17 isdisposed below the upper marginal edge of the back wall of the bucket.In digging a free-flowing granulated material, the bucket is positionedin the ground level digging position, and the tractor is then movedforwardly, causing the cutting edge 17 and the side walls 15 of thebucket to be forced into the material. As the bucket is forced into thematerial, the links 13 are operated to pivot the bucket rearwardly tothe position shown in FIGURE 2. This scooping action of the bucket as itis moved forwardly and tilted rearwardly results in a substantiallyheaped bucket.

The load striking and maintaining element 24 comprises a pair of leverarms 25 and a crossmember 26. The crossmember 26 includes a strikerblade 26a, forward retaining and upward retaining walls 26b and 260, andside retaining members 26a. The members 26a,

26b, and 260 may be formed as a single plate which is somewhat U- orV-shaped as shown in the drawing, with the side members 26d secured oneat each end of the members 26a, 26b, and 26c by some means such aswelding.

The levers 25 are secured one at each end of the crossmember 26 by anymeans such as bolts or welding, and the levers 25 are spaced apart adistance slightly more than the width of the bucket. The levers 25 areprovided with webs 25a and 2511 which serve to reinforce and strengthenthe levers. The levers 25 are formed at their lower ends somewhat asbellcranks, with the junction of the legs of the bellcranks beingjournalled on pins 27. The pins 27 are securely carried on the sidewalls 15 of the bucket by brackets 28. The lower ends of the legs oflevers 25 extend rearwardly of the rearward side of the bucket and attheir ends are each pivotally connected to one end of a link 30. Theother end of each link 30 is pivotally connected to one end of abellcrank 31 by pivotal mounting means 32. The junctions of the legs ofthe bellcranks 31 are each journalled on pins 35. Pine 35 are secured tothe rear wall of the bucket to extend outwardly therefrom by brackets36, The pins 35 and brackets 36 are positioned in a spaced-apartrelationship to each other transversely of the rear wall of the bucket.The other end of each bellcrank 31 is pivotally connected by pin means37 to one end of a hydraulic ram 38. The head end of the hydraulic cam38 is connected to one of the levers 31, with the rod end thereofconnected to the end of the other of the levers 31. With thisarrangement, the ram 38 is carried in a somewhat floating positionbetween the levers 31.

Suitable hydraulic fluid pump, reservoir, valve and conduit means (notshown) are provided for the operation of the hydraulic ram 38.

in the operation of the subject invention, it may be seen that when thehydraulic ram 38 is completely retracted, the ends of the levers 31connected thereto are at a position of minimum spacing therebetween andthe other ends of the levers 31 are in their downwardmost position. Withthe levers 31 in this position, the links 30 are disposed in theirdownwardmost position with the result that the striker element 25 ispositioned with the crossmember 26 thereof adjacent the upper end of therear wall of the bucket. Extension of the hydraulic ram 38 will causelevers 31 to be pivoted so that the links 30 are drawn upwardly and thestriker element 35 will be pivoted about pins 27 over the open side ofthe bucket to the cutting edge thereof such as shown in FIGURE 3. Thusit may be seen that by appropriate selective operations of the hydraulicram 33, excess loads of a free-flowing material may be swept from thebucket while in the pile of material. The load may then be transportedto a remote location with the increased volume of the bucket in thecarrying position preventing substantially no loss of the load duringtransport. It may further be seen that during all of the variousoperations of the subject invention, the hydraulic ram 38 is protectedfrom any accidental damage.

Having described the invention what is considered new and desired to beprotected by Letters Patent is:

V 1. In a bucket construction for a tractor loader having a boom,comprising a pair of spaced-apart side walls interconnected by a bottomand a rear wall, pivotal mounting means formed on the rear wall of saidbucket for pivotally carrying said bucket on the forward end of theboom, a load striking and maintaining member comprising a crossmemberhaving one end of each of a pair of levers secured to each end thereof,said crossmember having a length substantially equal to the distancebetween said side walls of said bucket, the other end of each of saidlevers being formed as a bellcrank, means mounting each of said leversat the junction of the legs thereof on the side walls of said bucketadjacent the lower rear portion thereof for pivotal movement of saidlevers to sweep said crossmember over the open side of said bucket, saidcrossmember having a shape such that the lower edge thereof will strikeoff the upper surface of a load in said bucket below the marginal edgesof said side walls when said levers are pivoted and will maintainsubstantially the remaining load of a free-flowing material within saidbucket when said bucket is carried and shaken in the load carryingposition, linkage and leverage means carried on the rear wall of saidbucket and operatively connected to the outer end of each of said otherlegs of said pair of levers, said linkage and leverage means including ahydraulic ram operable to operate said linkage and leverage means topivot said pair of levers to move said crossmember over the open side ofsaid bucket.

2. In a bucket construction for a tractor loader having a boom,comprising a pair of spaced-apart side walls interconnected by a bottomand rear wall, means formed on the rear wall of said bucket forpivotally carrying said bucket on the forward end of the boom so thatsaid bucket is movable from a horizontal digging position to a certaincarrying position wherein the open side of the bucket is disposedsubstantially upwardly, a load striking and maintaining membercomprising a pair of levers interconnected by a crossmember, saidcrossmember having a length sustantially equal to the distance betweensaid side walls of said bucket, each of said levers pivotally mountedintermediate the ends thereof on said bucket for pivotal movement ofsaid levers to carry said crossmember over the open side of said bucket,said crossmember having a shape suchthat the lower edge thereof willstrike off the upper surface of a load immediately below the marginaledges of said side walls when said levers are pivoted and further havinga shape which in cooperation with the walls of the bucket will retainsubstantially the remaining load of a free-flowing material within saidbucket when said bucket is carried and shaken in said certain carryingposition, means for pivoting said levers comprising a pair of bellcrankspivotally carried on the rear wall of said bucket in a spaced-apartrelationship to each other, a hydraulic ram, means pivotally connectingeach end of said hydraulic ram to one end of one leg of each of saidbellcranks, a pair of links, means pivotally connecting each of saidlinks between the outer end of the other leg of each of said bellcranksand the ends of said pair of levers.

3. In a bucket construction for a tractor loader having a boom,comprising a pair of spaced-apart side walls interconnected by a bottomand a rear wall, a cutting edge carried on the forward marginal edge ofsaid bottom wall, means formed on the rear wall of said bucket forpivotally carrying said bucket on the forward end of the boom so thatsaid bucket is movable from a horizontal digging position to a certaincarrying position whereby the open side of the bucket i disposedsubstantially upwardly, a load striking and maintaining membercomprising a pair or" levers interconnected by a crossmember, saidcrossmember having a length substantially equal to the distance betweensaid side walls of said bucket, each of said levers pivotally mountedintermediate the ends thereof on said bucket for pivotal movement ofsaid levers to carry said crossmember over the open side of said bucketfrom the upper marginal edge of said rear wall to and in engagement withsaid cutting edge, said crossmember having a shape such that the loweredge thereof will strike off the upper surface of a heaped load in saidbucket immediately below the marginal edges of said side walls when saidlevers are pivoted and further having a shape which in cooperation withsaid cutting edge will increase the volume of said bucket to retainsubstantially the remaining load of a free-flowing material within saidbucket when said bucket is carried and shaken in said certain carryingposition, lever and linkage means carried on the rear Wall of saidbucket and pivotally connected to the lower end of each of said levers,said lever and linkage means including a hydraulic ram for pivoting saidpair of levers to carry said crossmember over the open side of saidbucket.

4. In a bucket construction for a tractor loader having a boom,comprising a pair of spaced-apart side walls interconnected by a bottomand rear wall, means formed on the rear wall of said bucketfor pivotallycarrying said bucket on the forward end of the boom so that said bucketis movable from a horizontal digging position to a certain load carryingposition wherein the open side of the bucket is disposed substantiallyupwardly, a load striking and maintaining member comprising a pair oflevers interconnected by a crossmember, said crossmember having a lengthsubstantially equal to the distance between said side walls of saidbucket, each of said levers pivotally mounted intermediate the endsthereof on said bucket for pivotal movement of said levers to carry saidcrossmember over the open side of said bucket, the forward marginaledges of said side wall being formed to have a curvature substantiallyequal to that of a portion of a circle traced therethrough and havingits center at the pivotal axis of said levers on said side walls, saidcrossmember having a shape such that the lower end thereof will strikeoff the upper surface of a heaped load in said bucket immediately belowthe curved marginal edges of said side walls when said levers arepivoted and further having a shape which in cooperation with the wallsof the bucket will retain substantially the remaining load of afree-flowing material within said bucket when said bucket is carried andshaken in said certain load carrying position, a pair of linkage andleverage arrangements, each linkage and leverage arrangement of saidpair of linkage and leverage arrangements carried on the rear wall ofsaid bucket and connected to the lower end of one of said levers of saidpair of levers, power means connected between said pair of linkage andleverage arrangements for simultaneously operating each of said linkageand leverage arrangements to pivot said pair of levers to move saidcrossmember over the open side of said bucket.

5. In a bucket construction for a tractor loader having a boom,comprising a pair of spaced-apart side walls interconnected by a bottomand a rear wall, a cutting edge carried on the forward marginal edge ofsaid bottom wall, means formed on the rear wall of said bucket forpivotally carrying said bucket on the forward end of the boom so thatsaid bucket is movable from a horizontal digging position to a certainload carrying position whereby the open side of the bucket isdisposedsubstantially upwardly, a load striking and maintaining membercomprising a pair of levers interconnected by a crossmember, saidcrossmember having a length substantially equal to the distance betweensaid side Walls of said bucket, each of said levers being formed as abellcrank with one end of each of said levers connected to saidcrossmember, means pivotally carrying each of said levers at thejunction of the legs thereof on the side walls of said bucket adjacentthe lower rearward portion thereoffor pivotal movement of said levers tocarry said crossmember over the open side of said bucket between theupper marginal edge of said rear wall and said cutting edge, the forwardmarginal edges of said side walls being formed to have a curvaturesubstantially equal to that of a portion of a circle traced therethroughand having its center at the pivotal axis of said levers on said sideWalls of said bucket, said cross member having a shape such that thelower edge thereof will strike 06 the upper surface of a heaped load insaid bucket immediately below the curved marginal edges of said sidewalls when said levers are pivoted and further having a shape which incooperation with said cutting edge will increase the volume of saidbucket to retain substantially the remaining load of a free-flowingmaterial within said bucket when said bucket is carried and shaken insaid certain load carrying position, a pair of linkage and leveragearrangements, each of said linkage and leverage arrangements pivotallycarried on the rear wall of said bucket and connected at one end thereofto the outer end of the other leg or" one of said levers, a hydraulicram, means pivotally connecting the head end of said hydraulic ram tothe other end of one of said linkage and leverage arrangements, meanspivotally connecting the rod end of said hydraulic ram to the other endof the other of said linkage and leverage arrangements so that said pairof levers are pivoted responsive to extensions and retractions of saidhydraulic ram.

6. In a bucket construction for a tractor loader having a boom,comprising a pair of spaced-apart side walls interconnected by a bottomand a rear wall, a cutting edge carried on the forward marginal edge ofsaid bottom wail, means formed on the rear wall of said bucket forpivotally carrying said bucket on the forward end of the boom so thatsaid bucket is movable from a horizontal digging position to a certainload carrying position wherein the open side of the bucket is disposedsubstantially upwardly, a load striking and maintaining membercomprising a pair of levers interconnected by a crossmember, saidcrossmember having a length substantially equal to the distance betweensaid side walls o-f said bucket, each of said levers being formed as abellcrank with one leg thereof substantially longer than the other legthereof, the

outer end of said one leg of each of said levers being connected to saidcrossmember, means pivotally mounting each of said levers at thejunction of the legs thereof on the side walls of said bucket adjacentthe lower rearward portion thereof for pivotalmovement of said levers tocarry said crossmember over the open side of said bucket, the forwardmarginal edges of said sidewalls being formed to have a curvaturesubstantially equal to that of a portion of a circle traced therethroughand having its centertat the pivotal axis of said levers onv said bucketsaid crossmember being V-shaped having one portion thereof extendingbelow the marginaledges or said-side wallsso that said one portion willstrike off the upper surface of a heaped load in said bucket immediatelybelow the marginal edges of said side Walls when said levers arepivoted, the remaining portions of said V-shaped crossmember being suchthat when said one portion engages said cutting edge of said bucket thevolume of said bucket is increased to retain substantially the remainingload of a free-flowing material Within said bucket and said crossmemberwhen said bucket is carried and shaken in said certain load carryingposition, a pair of links, means pivotally connecting one end of each.ofsaid links to the outer end of the other of said legs of each of saidpair of levers, a pair of =bellcrank levers, means-pivotally mountingeach lever of said pair of bellcrank levers at the junction of the legsthereof on the rear wall of said bucket in a horizontallyspaced-apartrelationship to each other, means pivotally connecting theouter end of one leg of each of said pair of bellcrank levers to theother end of one of said links, a hydraulic ram, means pivotallyconnecting the head end of said hydraulic ram to the other leg of onelever of said pair of .bellcrank levers, means pivota'lly connecting therod end of said hydraulic 'ram to the outer end of the other leg of theother lever of said bellcrank levers, so that said crossrnember ismovable over the open side of said bucket responsive to the operation ofsaid hydraulic ram.

References Cited. in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 202,307,933 Le Bleu Jan. 12, 1943 2,322,458 Le Bleu June 22, 19432,864,183 .Ryan Dec. 26, 1958

